Brake-beam.



' w. C. HEDGCGCK.

BRAKE BEAM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 5.1917.

Patented Feb. 5, 1918.

1mm i mln .Alarm uuml llllll lill WILLIAM c. rmnecocn, or Grimace,

ILLINOIS, LEiSIGrNIJR` TO AMERICAN STEEL FOUNDRIES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINIS, A CORPRATIN OF NEW JERSEY.

lilet.

Application filed July 5, 1917.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, WILLIAM C. llnnccoen, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Chicago, in' the county of Cool: and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brake- Beams, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railway brakes, and more particularly to a novel brake beam.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a simple brake beam having its parts arranged to receive angularly arranged brake levers which are mounted at the end of a railway truck.

Another object is to provide a beam adapt ed to meet the various requirements for successful commercial operation.

These and other objects are accomplished by providing a beam having spaced members terminating in trunnions for the reception of brake heads, lever fulcrums extending between said members, and a spreader associated with said lever tulcrums to prevent displacement of the same.

lllhe invention is illustrated on the accompanying sheet of drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved beam;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same, and

Fig. 3 is an end view of the beam.

The beam comprises a compression member 10 of channel or similarly strong and economical section and a bar or rod tension member 11, the central portionsoi2 said members being parallel with respect to each other and the ends of which converge outwardly and are connected at their extremities. The compression member 10 and the bar 11 terminate and bear in trunnions 12 for the reception of brake heads 13. The ends of the tension bar are provided with nuts 14 for holding the tension and compression members in engagement. rlihe compression and tension members 10-11 are spaced apart by two lever fulcrums 15-16 which extend therebetween, the lever fulcrums being secured to the compression member 10 by rivets 17 or other approved methods. Each of the lever fulcrums is provided with an angularly arranged slot 1S in its central portion and provided with openings 19 for reception oi a pin by means of which a brake lever may be pivotally connected to the lever fulcrums. The ends of the lever fulerums adj a- Specicaton of Letters Patent.

rateiitea ret. 5, raie.. Serial No: 178,584.

cent to the tension bar 11 are bifurcated to receive the tension bar at the points where the bar is bent to converge toward the bent ends of the compression member 10. In order to prevent displacement oit these lever 'fulcrums the same are held in position by a `spreader 2O which engages the lever fulcrums adjacent to the tension member 11. rlhe central portion of the spreader is provided with a pair of spaced lugs providing attaching means for a supporting device.

It is apparent that modiiications of the invention shown and described, and it is my intention to cover all such modifications which do not involve departure from the spirit and scope of my invention as set l-orth in the following claims.

l claim:

1. A brake beam, comprising two spaced members which are operatively connected at their ends, mountings for brake heads, lever fulcrums extending between said members, and a member extending between said lever fulcrums to prevent displacement of the same.

2. A brake beam, comprising spaced mem* bers having mountings for brake heads, lever fulcrums extending between said spaced members, and a member extending between said lever ulcrums to prevent displacement thereof.

3. A. brake beam, comprising spaced members having parallel arranged portions and converging portions which are connected at their ends and providing mountings for brake heads, lever fulcrums secured to one of said spaced members and being connected to the other, and a spreader extending loetween said lever fulcrums to prevent displacement thereof.

e. A brake beam, comprising spaced members, one oi which is a compression member and the other o1 which is a tension member, said spaced members having their ends connected, lever fulcrums secured to the compression member and engaging the tension member, a spreader extending' between said lever fulcruins adjacent the tension member to prevent displacement of said lever fulcrums.

5. A brake beam, comprising spaced members, one of which is a compression member and the other of which is a tension member, said spaced members having their ends connected, lever fulcrums secured to the comthere may be variousl pil-ession membeiI and engaging 'the tension member, and it spreader extending between Suid lever 'fulcrums adjacent the tension member to pi'event displacement of said lever fulorums, said spreader having centrally arranged lugs providing for the ntf techment of a supporting device.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 30th day of June, 1917.

-WILLIAM C. HEDGCOCK.

IVitnesses:

AMANDA F. WADE, (l1-IAS. L. BYRON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. C. 

